Released Palestinian lawyer exposes abuse of women in Israeli prisons
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Diyala Ayesh, who was detained by Israeli occupation forces on January 17, 2024, details the harsh conditions faced by women in detention.
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Israeli soldiers stand outside Ofer military prison near al-Quds, on Friday, November 24, 2023. (AP)
A Palestinian lawyer, recently released after spending a year in an Israeli prison without charges, has exposed the daily mistreatment and strip searches endured by female detainees, Anadolu Agency reported.
Diyala Ayesh, who was detained by Israeli occupation forces on January 17, 2024, at a military checkpoint in Beit Lahm, detailed the harsh conditions faced by women in detention.
She was held at Damon Prison in northern "Israel" under administrative detention, a policy that allows the imprisonment of Palestinians without charges or trials for durations ranging from one to six months, extendable by military courts for up to five years. Authorities claim such detentions are based on undisclosed "security threats."
"I was imprisoned without any charges and held under administrative detention for a year before being released yesterday. However, many other women remain imprisoned, including three from Gaza. They are all waiting for their freedom," Ayesh told Anadolu.
She revealed that female detainees are subjected to regular strip searches but maintain resilience despite the oppressive conditions. “Female prisoners are subjected to frequent strip searches. Despite this, they maintain high morale, and neither the prison nor the jailer could break them,” she added.
Ayesh also described the harsh realities of prison life, stating, “The prison consists of solitary confinement cells, and the conditions are very harsh. Prisoners are left with nothing but their clothes.”
She recounted how the prison administration would seize personal items, leaving detainees to share basic necessities. “The prison administration takes away everything they have. Last September, they confiscated our spoons, forks, and cups. They returned some of them days later, forcing us to share and use them in turns,” she added.
Testimonies from other released Palestinian detainees corroborate ongoing reports of torture and poor treatment in Israeli prisons. Hundreds of detainees have reportedly suffered injuries in recent months.
'Israel' serves moldy, spoiled food for female Palestinian detainees
Specialized institutions focused on prisoner rights have raised the alarm about the severe mistreatment of female Palestinian detainees at "Israel's" Damon Prison, as reported by the Palestinian Information Centre in December.
The violations include strip searches, confinement in isolation cells without hijabs, and rooms monitored by CCTV round the clock.
Conditions have worsened, with detainees receiving moldy bread and spoiled hummus food. Recent figures show that 89 women are detained in Damon Prison, including four from Gaza, whose identities remain undisclosed.
'Israel' forces female detainees to remove hijabs amid rising tensions
In November, the Israeli occupation took a decision to seize traditional clothing like jilbabs, hijabs, and niqabs from female Palestinian detainees in Damon Prison, forcing them to wear gray sportswear and banning head coverings, which represents a serious escalation in its systematic abuse and humiliation of detainees.
At the time, Palestinian factions condemned these actions as "heinous crimes" and an affront to all religious, legal, and humanitarian values, stressing that such acts cannot go unanswered. They reaffirmed that the Palestinian people possess both the will and determination to confront "Israel" and resist its aggressive practices against detainees, especially women and children.
The factions further highlighted the dire conditions faced by Palestinian detainees, citing daily arbitrary searches, and the deprivation of necessities such as food, medicine, clothing, and blankets. These actions, they argued, amount to deliberate psychological and physical harm, as evidenced by ongoing reports and statistics.
On its part, Hamas has called on all local and international human rights and legal organizations, particularly those focused on women's rights, to pressure the Israeli government to end its abusive practices. The Resistance movement also urged national movements, popular organizations, the Palestinian public, and families of detainees to intensify their support efforts and solidarity campaigns until the detainees achieve full freedom.
Desperate attempt to break Palestinian women’s spirit
The Islamic Jihad Movement also condemned the blatant violations of the Israeli prison administration, labeling the forced dress code imposed on Palestinian female detainees as part of a psychological war and renewed assault on their dignity.
The movement asserted that this action represents a desperate attempt to break the will of Palestinian women, framing it as part of the broader ongoing war on the Palestinian people.
These repressive measures, it added, are part of a broader pattern of brutal treatment, including denial of family visits, solitary confinement, and psychological and physical torture, all designed to undermine the human rights of detainees.
The movement called for escalating Resistance against the occupation, emphasizing that the ultimate goal remains the full liberation of all Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons.
